The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) yesterday joined other Customs institutions in the world to celebrate this year’s International Customs Day with a pledge to enforce customs regulations which have hitherto been ignored.
Addressing the celebration in Tema yesterday, the acting Commissioner of the Customs Division, Major General Carl Modey, said the division had put in place measures to ensure the strict enforcement of customs laws and regulations.
“Customs will be tough this 2012,” he said, adding that “those who perpetually break the law through false declarations, false descriptions, wrong classifications, under-invoicing, concealments, among others, should desist from those practices forthwith or suffer the consequences”.
The theme for this year’s celebration was, “Borders Divide, Customs Connects”.
Major General Modey commended stakeholders for their support which enabled the Customs Division to exceed its target for 2011 and expressed the hope that similar collaboration would be forthcoming this year for the division to achieve its targets for 2012.
He said in order to address some of the concerns of the public, a Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC) had been set up to dialogue with stakeholders on matters that affected the industry.
The 20-member committee comprised representatives of stakeholders such as the Ghana Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Trade, the GCNET, the Ghana Standards Authority, the Association of Ghana Industries, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Customs Brokers and the Ghana Airports Company.
Others are the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, the Association of Freight Forwarders, the Ghana Union of Traders, Inspection and Control Services Ltd, Gateway Services Limited and the Food and Drugs Board.
Major General Modey also appealed to governments in West Africa to implement pragmatic initiatives that would deepen the integration process in the ECOWAS sub–region.
He observed that despite the existence of the ECOWAS Protocol on the movement of persons, the sub-region was still beset with problem that impeded the spirit of the protocol.
The Commissioner-General of the GRA, Mr George Blankson, urged the officers of the Customs Division to use the celebration as a unique opportunity to re-dedicate themselves to their core responsibilities of revenue mobilisation, trade facilitation and security.
He commended customs officials for exceeding their target for 2011 by 15.6 per cent which, he said, was unprecedented and appealed to them to work harder to exhibit their capabilities.
Mr Blankson said the Customs Division was expected to collect GH¢11.2 million this year and, therefore, urged the officials to work harder.
He later inaugurated the JCCC and presented member organisations with certificates.
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